Chapter 35: The End of Snowdragon Mountain

Yuchi Xiyue, learning that Ji Ning's fellow disciples had arrived, immediately prepared a feast to entertain the Black-White College disciples.

……

On that very day, far away in Anchan Commandery, a large ship inlaid with golden patterns was cleaving through the air, roaring as it flew. On the ship stood a dense crowd of golden-armored imperial guards, and on the deck were nine captains in black armor, each with a profound and unfathomable aura.

"Ahead lies Snowdragon Mountain," said a man in black finery with a smile.

"We trouble Brother Luoxiao," one of the nine golden-armored captains spoke.

"This is a trifle. To have the chance to do something for King Yan is my, Beishan Luoxiao's, fortune." Beishan Luoxiao quickly flattered, though inwardly he sighed, "Snowdragon Mountain, Snowdragon Mountain, you were blind to offend King Yan. Even if King Yan was once down on his luck, he's not someone your tiny Snowdragon Mountain can afford to offend. This time King Yan has sent nine full squads of golden-armored imperial guards—he must truly hold a grudge against Snowdragon Mountain. I wonder what they did back then."

The deaths of Yuchi Xue and Yuchi Shan—Dong Qi was the mastermind!

Ji Ning and Yuchi Xiyue naturally hated him deeply. King Yan, aware of his granddaughter's feelings, immediately ordered nine squads of golden-armored imperial guards to Anchan Commandery. They first went to the Anchan Northmont clan and said, "Our prince, when he roamed the world in years past, formed a great enmity with Snowdragon Mountain. Today he orders us to destroy Snowdragon Mountain. We ask the Northmont clan to grant us passage."

The Anchan Northmont clan, upon hearing this—destroy Snowdragon Mountain?

A minor sect without even Earth Immortals or Sanxians, the Anchan Northmont clan naturally paid it no heed. Moreover, King Yan was tactful, having sent word beforehand. The Anchan Northmont clan immediately arranged for 'Beishan Luoxiao' to personally guide the golden-armored imperial guards to Snowdragon Mountain.

"We're here." Beishan Luoxiao pointed downward.

Through the mist and clouds, one could vaguely see a range of peaks, among which three were especially majestic and precipitous, towering far above the others.

"Snowdragon Mountain?" The nine captains gazed down at the mountain gate and nodded slightly.

"First capture Dong Qi, then destroy Snowdragon Mountain," one captain said.

Boom!

The large ship plunged straight down, carrying boundless momentum, and came to a halt directly above the Snowdragon Mountain sect, causing a stir of shock within. How dare they park a warship right above the sect? Such arrogance!

"Which Daoist friend visits our Snowdragon Mountain?" Boom! Boom! Boom! Three figures shot into the sky—the three Primal Daoists of Snowdragon Mountain: Snowfeather Daoist, Hanyang Daoist, and Blackdragon Daoist.

As they flew up, they saw the dazzling group of golden-armored soldiers, whose terrifying aura made their hearts tremble.

But when they spotted Beishan Luoxiao in black finery, Blackdragon Daoist, one of the three Primal Daoists, quickly said, "Senior Luoxiao, why have you come to Snowdragon Mountain? If you have any business, just send word, and we'll come to you. There's no need for Senior Luoxiao to trouble yourself."

"Senior Luoxiao graces our Snowdragon Mountain—what is the matter? If you have any commands, we will do our utmost to carry them out," Hanyang Daoist also quickly added.

All three Primal Daoists were extremely deferential.

"Gentlemen?" Beishan Luoxiao looked toward the nine captains beside him, each of whom was a Sanxian.

"Found him." One captain's eyes lit up.

Whoosh.

With a single step, he vanished from where he stood, directly entering the Snowdragon Mountain sect. In another blink, he had returned, carrying a white-robed youth by the collar. The youth's face was pale, his whole body trembling, cowering.

"Dong Qi!" Hanyang Daoist exclaimed.

"Grandfather, Grandfather!" the white-robed youth cried out in terror, "My Zifu has been destroyed! My Zifu is destroyed!"

Hanyang Daoist's face changed, a hint of anger flashing across it, but he suppressed his fury and said, "Senior Luoxiao, what is the meaning of this? Why do you directly seize a disciple of my Snowdragon Mountain? If Snowdragon Mountain has offended you in any way, speak plainly. Whether we deserve death or dismemberment, Snowdragon Mountain will naturally give an account."

"These are not my men," Beishan Luoxiao shook his head. "You truly have no discernment—you can't even recognize the most formidable golden-armored imperial guards of the Grand Xia imperial capital!"

"Golden-armored imperial guards?" Hanyang Daoist, Blackdragon Daoist, and Snowfeather Daoist were all greatly shocked.

Imperial guards?

In Anchan Commandery, they were merely a middling sect, tucked away in a corner, without even Sanxians or Earth Immortals. Naturally, they knew little of the distant 'Grand Xia imperial capital.' Although Blackdragon Daoist had once visited the imperial capital, he had never even seen ordinary imperial guards, let alone the elite 'golden-armored imperial guards.' They had assumed the golden armor meant these soldiers belonged to the Anchan Northmont clan!

"Generals," Blackdragon Daoist quickly said, "if Snowdragon Mountain has offended you in any way, please speak plainly."

Hanyang Daoist and Snowfeather Daoist were also panicked and uneasy.

"We have orders to arrest Dong Qi and destroy your Snowdragon Mountain," one captain said coldly.

"Arrest Dong Qi? Destroy Snowdragon Mountain?"

The three Primal Daoists felt as if struck by lightning, stunned into silence.

Destroy the sect?

Heavens! Oh heavens!

Their sect had been passed down for generations—how could it suddenly face annihilation by the golden-armored imperial guards?

"Hanyang!" Blackdragon Daoist saw the captured Dong Qi and understood. He glared at Hanyang Daoist and roared, "It's all your fault, coddling this Dong Qi! He has harmed countless people outside and even molested many female disciples within the sect. You always protected him! This Dong Qi must have offended some great figure, bringing disaster upon our Snowdragon Mountain."

Hanyang Daoist's face was ashen.

Snowfeather Daoist begged, "Punish Dong Qi however you wish, even demand anything of Snowdragon Mountain—just spare our sect!"

"Gentlemen." The captain holding Dong Qi said coldly, "Begin."

At his command, squads of golden-armored guards flew out of the ship.

"Mountain-guarding grand formation!" Blackdragon Daoist roared hoarsely, his voice echoing in every disciple's ear.

"Seal!"

"Snowdragon Soaring Heaven Formation!"

The formations and restrictions left by generations of Snowdragon Mountain ancestors were instantly activated. Layers of seals emerged, mist appeared, and even snow-white divine dragons coiled around the peaks, flying about. The full foundation of the sect was unleashed. Even a Sanxian personally arriving would find it difficult to breach the mountain gate.

"Boom~~~" In the high sky, golden divine dragons appeared.

Eight golden divine dragons, each winding for ten thousand li, radiated an oppressive aura.

The mountain gate of Snowdragon Mountain was hard for an ordinary Sanxian to break... but a squad of golden-armored imperial guards consisted of one Sanxian leading forty-nine Primal Daoists, all clad in Dao-soldier armor, who then coalesced into a divine dragon! Its power was at least equivalent to ten ordinary Sanxians!

And here, there were nine full squads!

"Boom~~~" The golden divine dragons writhed and danced. A simple dragon's tail swipe shattered layers of seals like soap bubbles bursting.

One captain held Dong Qi, looking down from above.

The other eight squads transformed into golden divine dragons and began attacking Snowdragon Mountain below. With overwhelming power, they crushed every formation and restriction. As for the so-called illusion formations? Each divine dragon was ten thousand li in size; a single tremor caused the formations to collapse.

"This... this..." Hanyang Daoist led his disciples in forming a huge snow dragon.

But seeing the might of the golden divine dragons, he was too terrified to resist.

A snow dragon formed by a Primal Daoist leading a group of Wanxiang and Zifu disciples... against a divine dragon formed by a Sanxian leading forty-nine Primal Daoists—they were on completely different levels. The gap was too vast.

"Dong Qi, Dong Qi, who on earth did you offend?" Hanyang Daoist was both furious and despairing.

"It's over." Snowfeather Daoist led his disciples in a single clash with the enemy, losing more than half of them. The snow dragon completely collapsed. Snowfeather Daoist's face showed utter despair. "Snowdragon Mountain is finished. I regret that our sect's rules were not strict, and disciples ran rampant, finally offending a great figure."

"Boom."

Snowfeather Daoist exploded, causing a surge of elemental power. He chose to self-destruct, so at least his soul could reincarnate.

……

Snowfeather Daoist self-destructed, Hanyang Daoist was killed, and Blackdragon Daoist was killed.

The peaks of Snowdragon Mountain all collapsed. Under the might of the eight ten-thousand-li divine dragons, parts of the mountain range sank into lakes, while others rose into plateaus. In short, not a single true mountain remained in that area.

"This... this..." Dong Qi was completely dazed.

"Brother Luoxiao, we have troubled you. We will now return directly to the Grand Xia imperial capital."

"It was nothing. Snowdragon Mountain offended King Yan; their destruction was their own doing. No one else is to blame."

"Then we take our leave."

"Farewell."

The golden-armored imperial guards, taking Dong Qi with them, boarded the ship and departed. Beishan Luoxiao, looking at the lakes and plateaus where Snowdragon Mountain once stood, shook his head. "Such minor sects, with lax rules and disciples running amok, naturally see their sect's fortune decline until the day of destruction. How laughable—even the Grand Xia imperial clan established the Yinglong Guard to hunt down and kill those with great sin. Yet these small sects act with impunity."

Whoosh. Beishan Luoxiao vanished, teleporting away.

……

Grand Xia imperial capital, King Yan's estate.

Snowflakes were falling as a group of golden-armored imperial guards entered the estate.

"Brothers, go rest and keep watch over Dong Qi. I will report to the princess immediately." One captain spoke, then went to see the princess.

A feast was laid out on a wide corridor.

Ji Ning, Yuchi Xiyue, and Mu Zishuo and the others were there, enjoying the snow view while eating and chatting.

"Princess." The captain appeared and said respectfully, "The man has been captured."

Ji Ning and Yuchi Xiyue, upon seeing the captain, held their breath. Hearing 'the man has been captured,' they both stood up involuntarily.

"Everyone, Ji Ning and I have matters to attend to. We'll return shortly." Yuchi Xiyue quickly said.

……